Automatic skein winding machine

ABSTRACT

The yarn wound by a yarn laying drum on a windup shaft, is clamped to the windup shaft at the beginning of a skein by a pair of clamping members. When the skein is wound, the clamping members open, and a combined cutting and clamping device moves between the open clamping members to a position first clamping, and then cutting, the yarn portion between the yarn laying drum and the finished skein. The cutting and clamping device is retracted with a cut and clamped yarn end, and the yarn is clamped between the pair of clamping members and then released by the cutting and clamping device so that a new skein can be wound when the old skein has been stripped from the windup shaft. A positioning rod moves the yarn portion between the skein and the laying drum in the path of the cutting and clamping means.

D United States Patent H 1 i I 3,762,661 Lucite I 1 Oct. 2, 1973 AUTOMATIC SKEIN WINDING MACHINE Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath [75] lnventor: Ernst Lucke, Stuttgart, Germany mmmey Mlchael sinker [73] Assignee: Croon & Lucke,Maschinenfabrik Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter [57] ABSTRACT Haftung, Stuttgart, Germany The yarn wound by a yarn laying drum on a windup shaft, is clamped to the windup shaft at the beginning [22] Fled: June 1972 of a skein by a pair of clamping members. When the 21 APPL 262 726 skein is wound, the clamping members open, and a combined cutting and clamping device moves between v the open clamping members to a position first clamp- [30] Forelgn Apphcatmn Pnorlty Data ing, and then cutting, the yarn portion between the June 1971 Germany P 21 30 225-9 yarn laying drum and the finished skein. The cutting and clamping device is retracted with a cut and Cl 23ml, clamped yarn end, and the yarn is clamped between the 242/53 pair of clamping members and then released by the cut- IIII. ting and lamping device so that a new skein can be 0f Search I8 R, 4I, wound when the ld kein has been tripped fr m thg 242/13 23/21 windup shaft. A positioning rod moves the yarn portion between the skein and the laying drum in the path of l l References Cited the cutting and clamping means.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 12 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures 3,426,408 2/1969 Wheelock i. 242/18 R 3,693,897 9/1972 Davidson 242/l8 R PATENTEDUBT' 2 3. 762.661

sum 01 or 10 Fig. 7

PATENTEB 3.762.661

SHEET 02 BF 10 Fig. 2

PAIENTEU 21975 3.762.681

saw on HF 10 PAIENTEDBET 21m E? as or 10 PAIENIEDBBI 2 m 5.762681 sum 01 or 10 PATENTEUBET 2 3.782.661

SHEU 08 0F 10 PAKNTEB 2 m1 asurw AUTOMATIC SKEIN WINDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to skein winding machines in which a yarn or thread is supplied to a windup shaft and reel by a yarn laying device, and is cut after the skein has been finished.

The U. S. Pat. No. 3,426,408 discloses a winding machine of this type in which the finished skein is axially moved along the supporting windup shaft so that the next skein can be wound on the part of the windup shaft from which the finished skein was removed. The yarn extending between two successive wound skeins is then cut. The apparatus is complicated, and can operate only at a limited production speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a fully auto matic skein winding machine which operates at high speed, and produces a greater number of wound skeins within a given time.

Another object of the invention is to cut the yarn between two successive skeins, and to temporarily clamp the cut off yarn end until it can be clamped to the windup shaft for forming the second skein.

With these objects in view, an embodiment of the invention comprises a pair of clamping members mounted on the windup shaft for clamping the beginning of the yarn, and a transfer device includingcutting means and a clamping spring for holding the cut off yarn which during the retraction of the transfer device is clamped by the closing clamping members to serve as the beginning for the next following wound skein.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, astripper for stripping the finished skeins from the windup shaft is provided. The skein may be shifted by the stripper onto a supporting rod or into a basket which are axially aligned, respectively with the end of the windup shaft. A positioning rod is preferably moved between the yarn laying drum and the wound skein to engage and deflect a yarn portion into the path of the cutting and clamping means of the transfer device. All operations are carried out under the control of operating means which are synchronized to assure the correct sequence of the operations.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, illustrating an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the embodi- FIG. 9 is a partly schematic front view of the machine;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view illustrating a stripper and a holding rod for a stripped skein;

FIGS. 11 and 1 2 are fragmentary views illustrating the operation of the holding rod with a stripped'skein;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side view illustrating a stripper and a holding basket for receiving the stripped skein;

FIG. I4 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the holding basket in a position receiving a stripped skein;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating the holding basket in a contracted position for applying a holding ring to the skein;

FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating acontractible basket;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the basket shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the basket shown in FIGS. 16 and 17;

FIG. 19 is a schematic front view illustrating a winding machine provided with a plurality of windup machines according to the invention;

FIG. 20 is a schematic side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a schematic and diagrammatic view illustrating the drive means and operating means of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 22 is a schematic and diagrammatic view illustrating synchronized operating means for operating the several cooperating elements of the machine in timed relation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 8, the general arrangement, and the functions of the automatic skein winding machine will be first described.

A windup shaft 3 with a mandrel portion 2, is mounted on the machine frame 1.. Shaft 3 carries, for example, a toothed V-belt pulley 4 which is driven from a motor, not shown in FIG. 1 and by transmission means including another pulley and a belt so. that the windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2 are rotated. Behind the mandrel portion 2, windup shaft 3 carries two discs 5 and 6 of which disc 5 is fixedly secured to shaft 3, while disc 6 is connected by a torsion spring, not shown, with disc 5 so that disc 6 can turn relative to disc 5 against the action of the connecting spring. Disc 5 has a first clamping member 7, and disc 6 has a second clamping member 8 so that the clamping members 7 and 8 are biassed to a closed position. Clamping members 7 and 8 are used for clamping a yarn at the beginning of a skein 24. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the clamping members 7 and 8 in an anigularly spaced open position in which no yarn is clamped.

Below the mandrel portion 2 of windup shaft 3, and laterally displaced in relation to the axis of windup shaft 3, yarn laying means including a yarn laying drum 11 with crossing helical guide grooves 12 are provided on a shaft 13 which is driven by a pulley and belt transmission of which only a pulley 14 is shown in FIG. 1. The arrangement is such that windup shaft 2, 3, and yarn laying drum 1] rotate in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. 3.

On one side of the mandrel portion 2 of windup shaft 3, and spaced from the same, a yarn transfer device 20 is provided which can be moved in axial direction by an operating rod 15, see FIG. 2, which also supports the fixed cutting member 16 on which a movable cutting member 17 is mounted for angular movement. An operating rod 18 is pivotally connected with the movable cutting member 17 to turn the same between an inoperative position, and a cutting position cooperating with the fixed cutting member 16 to cut a yarn. When the operating rod 18 is shifted to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, the cutting members 16 and 17 close. In the region of the fixed cutting member 16, a clamping means 19 in the form of a bent up leaf spring 19 is provided which will be explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 7.

The machine further includes a stripper plate 21 at the inner end of the mandrel portion 2, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 9 and 10. Sripper plate 21 is annular, and slidable in axial direction on mandrel portion 2 toward the end of the mandrel portion 2 of windup shaft 3. Stripper plate 21 has an opening through which a fixed bar 23 passes which is connected by a reciprocable slide 105 as shown in FIG. 22 which also shows the reciprocation of the transfer device 20 by operating rod secured to reciprocating slide 97, and the operation of cutting member 17 by operating rod 18 having two spaced projections 98 and 99 cooperating with a fixed plate or stop 101 to open and close the cutting members l6, 17.

Positioning means are provided for placing the yarn portion between the outer end of a finished skein and the yarn laying drum 11 in the path of the cutting and clamping means 16, 17, 19, and include a deflecting rod 26 extending parallel to the axis of the windup shaft 3 and mounted on the end of a radially extending portion 25a of an angular member 25 which has a shaft portion 25b, as best seen in FIG. 2. Rod 26 is movable between an inoperative position shown in FIG. 9, and an operative position shown in FIG. 4 deflecting the yarn between the skein 24 and the yarn laying drum 11 into the axial path of the cutting and clamping means 16, 17, 19.

.The above described parts of the machine operate as follows:

A yarn 27 shown on the right of FIG. 3 is supplied from a yarn package on a supply reel, not shown, and passes over the yarn laying drum 11 whose helical grooves cause an axial reciprocation of the yarn wound up on the mandrel portion 2 of the windup shaft 3. The yarn at the beginning of the skein 24 is clamped between the pair of clamping members 7, 8 while the skein 24 is being wound during rotation in opposite directions of windup shafts 3, 2 and yarn laying drum 11. During the winding operation, the positioning means 25, 26 are in a completely retracted inoperative position.

When the skein 24 wound in the position of FIG. 3 has the desired maximum diameter, windup shaft 2, 3 and laying drum 11 are stopped while the clamping members 7, 8 are still closed, whereupon the clamping members 7, 8 are moved to the open position shown in FIG. 4, releasing the yarn beginning of the finished skein and permitting the advance of the yarn transfer device with open cutting members 16, 17 in axial direction between the clamping member 7, 8 as shown in FIG. 4. At the same time, the positioning means 25, 26 is moved between the finished skein 24 and the laying drum 11 so that the deflecting rod 26 first engages the yarn portion between the skein 24 and the laying drum 11, and then forms a loop of the same, as shown in FIG. 4, one part of which crosses the path of the yarn transfer device 20. Due to movement of the operating rod 16 relative to support rod 15, cutting members 16, 17 close, see FIG. 5, but during the movement of the movable cutting member 17 toward the closed position, the yarn is first drawn by cutting member 17 in the gap with the bent up leaf spring 19 and then out between the clamped spring 19 and the finished skein 24 as best seen in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. When the yarn portion is cut, the end of the supplied yarn 27 is temporarily held by the clamping spring means 19, and the separated finished skein 24 can be removed by stripper plate 21, as best seen in FIG. 10. Positioning means 25, 26 can now be returned from its deflecting position shown in FIG. 5 to the inoperative position shown in FIG. 6. The transfer device 20, with the end ofsupplied yarn 27 still clamped by clamping means 19, is now retracted in axial direction and pulls the supplied yarn 27 to a position located between the open clamping members 7 and 8, as shown in FIG. 6. Clamping members 7 and 8 automatically close to clamp the cut off supply yarn 27, while cutting member 17 is opened so that the yarn end clamped in clamping spring means 19 is released, and the supplied yarn 27 is clamped by clamping members 7, 8 to form the beginning of a new skein on the mandrel portion 2 from which the preceding skein 24 was stripped by stripper plate 21. Windup shaft 2, 3 and yarn laying drum 11 are started to rotate and the next following skein 24 is wound up.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the yarn transfer device 20 in greater detail. The fixed cutting member 16 and the movable cutting member 17 are shown in the closed position in which the yarn 27 has been cut. However, particularly from FIG. 8, it is apparent that during movement of the movable cutting member 17 toward the bottom cutting edge of the fixed cutting member 16, the yarn 27 will be pulled into the gap between the bent up clamping spring 19 and the movable cutting member 17 before the cutting edges engage each other and cut yarn 27. As long as the movable cutting member 17 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 8, the end of the cut off yarn 27 remains clamped, and can be pulled during the retraction of the yarn transfer device 20 to a position located between the clamping members 7 and 8. As best seen in FIG.7, the clamping spring 19 is secured to support rod 18 and the fixed cutting member 16', but has a free bent up end portion for temporarily clamping the yarn 27.

FIG. 9 illustrates schematically several constructive details of the machine. The supporting and operating rod 18 of the yarn transfer device 20 is mounted for axial movement on a downward projecting bracket 28 ofa carrier means 29 which can be moved in the direction of the double arrow 33 due to slot means 31 in which screw means 32 are provided. By adjusting of the position of carrier 29, the distance between the mandrel portion 2 and the cutting and clamping means of the yarn transfer device 20 can be adjusted depending on the desired diameter of the skein.

FIG. 9 further shows that the yarn laying drum 11 is mounted on a bearing support 35 which is secured to a carrier slide 34 which is guided on vertical rails 36, see FIG. 20, to move in the direction of the arrow 37 is a cyclic movement caused by rotary cam 38. In this manner, the yarn laying drum 11 is gradually lowered during the winding of the skein 24 so that the distance between the increasing outer peripheral surface of the skein and the peripheral surface of the yarn laying drum I1 is maintained constant which improves the uniform winding of the skein.

FIG. 9 also shows the linkage 30 for operating the positioning and deflecting means 25, 26.

An operating rod 39 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement, and is connected by pivot means with a link 41 ,which is articulated with the lever arm 42 clamped to the shaft portion 25b of the positioning means 25. When operating rod 39 is moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 9, levers 41, 42 as turned and turn shaft portion 25b so that arm 25a is angularly displaced to move the deflecting rod 26 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The operation of several arms 25 by rod 29 controlled by a crank driven by an electric motor 109, is also shown in the right hand corner of FIG. 22. FIG. 9 also shows the mechanism by which the clamping members 7 and 8, which are normally biassed to a closed clamping position, are opened to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A disc 6, see also FIG. 1, is rotatably mounted on the windup shaft 3 and carries a projecting stud 43, shown in broken lines in FIG. 9. The operating rod 39 is connected with a link 44 to which a lever 45 is articulated. An angular rod has a horizontal rod portion 46, see FIG. 1, which is rotatably mounted on the downward projection 48 of the machine frame 1. The other leg 47 forms with leg 46 an angle of 90. Lever 45 is clamped to the leg 46. When the operating rod 39 is shifted to the right, as viewed in FIG. 9, leg 46 is turned through the linkage 44, 45 so that leg 47 turns in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, engages projecting stud 43 on disc 6,and turns disc 6 in clockwise direction so that the clamping member 8, which is fixedly secured to disc 6, is turned in clockwise direction away from the fixed clamping member 7 until the clamping members 7 and 8 are in the open position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

As noted above, the machine has an annular stripper plate 21 slidable along a rail or rod 23 for stripping the finished skein 24 over the free end of the mandrel portion 2 of windup shaft 3. In the plan view of FIG. 10, a holding rod 49, coaxial with the windup shaft 3, is shown. When stripper plate 21 is moved by operating rod 22 to the right as viewed in FIG. 10, the finished skein 24 is pushed onto holding rod 49 so that the mandrel portion 2 eanbe used for winding up a new skein 24 after stripper plate 21 has been returned to its initial position shown in FIG. 10.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the holding rod 49 is mounted on a turnable carrier 51 which can be angularly displaced'by a lever 52 connected to an operating rod 53. Holding rod 49 can be placed in a position in which it is axially aligned with the windup shaft 3 and mandrel portion 2, and a'second position, shown in FIG. 12 in which holding rod 49 is upright. In the position of FIG. 11, the stripper plate 21 places the skein 24 on the holding rod 49, and in a position of FIG. 12, the skein 24 can be easily removed from the holding rod 49.

Instead of the holding rod described with reference to FIGS. to 12, a holding basket 54 may be used, as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. The basket 54 has a bottom portion, and six rods projecting from the bottom portion and arranged in a circle for receiving a strip off a skein. The projecting rods 55 are parallel to the axis of the windup shaft 2, 3. The radius of the circle of the rods 55 can be adjusted. FIGS. 13 and 14 show the basket 54 in a condition in which the diameter of the circle of the rods 55 is greater than the diameter of a finished skein 24 so that the skein can be pushed by stripper plate 21 into the basket 54, as shown in FIG. 14. The bottom portion 51 of the basket is connected to a device as described for the rod 49 in FIGS. 11 and 12, ineluding a carrier 51 and a lever 52 with an operating rod 53, so that the basket 54 can be turned from the aligned position shown in FIG. 14 to the upright position shown in FIG. 15.

When a skein 24 has been placed in the basket 54, and the basket has been turned to the upright position shown in FIG. 15, the projecting rods 55 are operated to be located on a smaller circle in the contracted position of basket 54 shown in FIG. 15. Consequently, a skein in backet 54 is compressed in radial direction by the rods 55, so that a holding ring 58 can be slipped from the outside of the basket onto the simultaneously removed skein 24 so that the holding ring is held by the resiliently expanding skein 24 removed from basket 54.

FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 illustrate the mechanism for varying the diameter of the circle formed by the rods 55. Rods 55 have cranked POI'IIOIIlS fiI'Id journal portions 56 mounted in a bottom plate 57 for angular movement. The ends projecting beyond bottom plate 57 are fixedly secured to links 58, as shown in FIG. 18. Links 58 are connected by U-shaped members 56 with an inner plate 61 which is mounted for angular movement in the bottom plate 57. The uppermost link 58 as viewed in FIG. 18, has an angular projection 62 which is articulated to an operating rod 63. Projection 62 has an elongated slot in which a pin 64 of the operating rod 63 is located. By shifting operatingrod 63, first the uppermost link 58 is angularly displaced so that by the respective member 59, the disc-shaped plate is turned and effects turning of the other members 59 with the other links 58 which cause turning of the cranked end portions 56 of rods 55 so that due to the cranking of the rods 55, the diameter of the basket 54 is increased or decreased upon operation of operating rod 63 in opposite directions as indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 18. In FIGS. 16, 17 and 18, basket 54 is shown at its smallest diameter, with rods 55 as closely spaced as possible.

FIG. 22 shows a motor 102 connected by a disc 103 and crank means 104 with a slide 105 having rollers 106 for movement in horizontal direction as indicated by the double arrow. Disc 103 is also connected by the rod 53 with a lever 52 for turning member 51 which supports the baskets 54. Slide 105 operates a plurality of rods 22 carrying the stripper plates 21 so that the skeins 24 are stripped in synchronism with the placing of baskets 54 in the aligned position and in the operative upright position for removing the skeins.

FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate a machine in which a plurality of windup devices are described with reference to FIG. 1 is provided so that several skeins can be simultaneously wound up. The mandrel portions 2 of the windup shafts 3 are mounted on the machine frame 1, and cooperate with yarn laying drums 11, respectively, which are mounted on the carrier 34 operated by the cam 38 to slide up and down in vertical guide 38, the carrier 51 carries a plurality of baskets 54, which can be turned between horizontal and vertical positions as explained above. It is advantageous to combine several windup devices according to the invention to form a winding machine in which a plurality of skeins can be simultaneously wound up.

FIG. 21 schematically illustrates the drive means of a machine in which one or several windup devices according to the invention are provided. A common motor 67 drives by a belt 68, a main shaft which carries a pulley 71 for driving a pulley 4 on the windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2. A pulley 14 on shaft 13 of the yarn laying drum 11 is driven from the main shaft 69 by a pulley 72, a belt 73, a reversing gear 74, a belt 75, a card-an joint 76, and another belt 77. Due to the reversing gear 74, windup shaft 3 and yarn laying drum 11 rotate in opposite directions. A pulley 78 on main shaft 69 drives through a belt 79, an angular transmission 81, another belt 82, an adjustable transmission 83, a belt 84, and another angular transmission 85, the cam 38 which raises and lowers the yarn laying drum, as explained with reference to FIGS. 9, 19 and 20.

A brake 86 serves for braking windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2, and also yarn laying drum 11. The brake may be operated automatically by conventional devices, which are not an object of the invention. Since it is important to stop windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2 always in the same angular position so that the clamping members 7 and 8 are always in the same position relative to the cutting means 16, 17 and clamping means 19 of the yarn transfer device 20, a positioning motor 87 is provided which is connected by a pulley and belt transmission 88, 89 with the main shaft 69, and turns, after braking of the main shaft 69, the windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2 until the clamping members 7, 8 are in the correct angular position. This is obtained by a metal armature 91 mounted on main shaft 69 and rotating therewith, cooperating with an electromagnet 92 in such a manner that in a predetermined angular position, armature 91 and magnet 92 generate a signal for stopping motor 87 which assures the accurate angular position of the clamping members 7 and 8 relative to the yarn transfer device 20.

FIG. 22 shows operating means for operating a plurality of windup devices, in a winding machine as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20.

A motor 94 is connected by a crank drive 95 with a slide 97 to reciprocate the slide 97 with the supporting operating rods of the yarn transfer devices 20. The operating rod 18, which is connected with the movable cutting member 17, has two projections or abutments 98, 99, and passes through a wall 101 so that abutments 98, 99 alternately abut wall 101 during the reciprocation of slide 97, and effect opening and closing of the movable cutting members 17, as described above.

The function of motor 102 for operating several stripper plates 21 to strip skeins into basket 54, has been described above. Another motor 1119, which in the same manner as motors 67, 94 and 102 are controlled by a conventional electric circuit, is started, in the same manner as motors 67, 94 and 102, for example, when the skein 24 has a predetermined diameter, or when the windup shaft 3 with mandrel portion 2 has performed a predetermined number of revolutions. Motor 109 operates by a crank drive the operating rod 39 which acts on a lever arm 47, as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 9, to open the clamping members 7 and 8. At the same time, the operating rod 39 operates the positioning means 25, 26 to move to the deflecting position shown in FIG. 4 after clamping members 7, 8 have been opened by lever 47.

From the above description, it becomes apparent that a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a driven windup shaft 3, 2; a pair of biassed clamping members 5, 6 and 5, 7 mounted on the windup shaft 3; a driven yarn laying means 11, 12 for guiding a supplied yarn 27 clamped between the clamping members 7, 8 to and along the windup shaft 3, 2 so that a skein 24 is wound on the windup shaft 3, 2; first operating means 109, 39, 47 for closing said clamping members 7, 8 when winding of a new skein 24 is started, and for opening the clamping members 7, 8 when a skein is finished; a yarn transfer device 20 including cutting means 16, 17 and clamping means 19 together movable between the open clamping members 7, 8 between a retracted position, and an operative position in which the clamping means 19 clamps the yarn portion between the end of the skein 24 and the yarn laying drum 11 whereupon the cutting means 16, 17 cuts the yarn at the end of the skein 24; and second operating means 94, 95, 97, 1 5, 18 for first moving the transfer device 20 from the retracted position to the operative position after said first operating means 109, 39, 47 have opened the clamping members 7, 8, for then operating the clamping means 19 and cutting means 16, 17, for returning the transfer device 20 with the clamped yarn portion between the open clamping members 7, 8 to the retracted position, and for opening the clamping means 19 to release the cut off yarn portion when the first operating means 109, 39, 47 have closed clamping members 7, 8 to clamp the yarn between the yarn laying drum and the clamping means 19.

Preferably positioning means 25, 26, including a deflecting rod 26 are movable between an inoperative position and a yarn deflecting position for deflecting the yarn portion between the yarn laying drum and the skein into the path of the yarn transfer device. Third operating means 30. 41, 42 connect the positioning means 25, 26 with the operating rod 39 reciprocated by motor so that deflecting rod 26 is placed in the position of FIG. 4 directly after the first operating means 47 have opened the clamping members 7, 8.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of winding machines differing from the types described above,

While the invention has been illustrated and de-' scribed as embodied in an automatic skein winding machine for cutting off the yarn at the end of a wound skein, and to clamp the cut off yarn end to form the beginning of another skein on the mandrel portion of a windup shaft after the finished skein has been stripped, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Automatic skein winding machine, comprising, in combination, a driven windup shaft; a pair of biassed yarn clamping members mounted on said windup shaft; driven yarn laying means for guiding a supplied yarn clamped between said clamping members to and along said windup shaft so that a skein is wound on said windup shaft; first operating means for closing said clamping members when winding of a new skein is started, and for opening said clamping members when a skein is finished; a yarn transfer device including cutting means and clamping means together movable between the opened clamping members between a retracted position, and an operative position in which said clamping means clamps the yarn portion between the end of said skein and said yarn laying means whereupon said cutting means cuts the yarn at said end of said skein; and second operating means for first moving said transfer device from said retracted position to said operative position, after said first operating means have opened said clamping members, for operating said clamping means and cutting means, for returning said transfer device with said clamped yarn portion between said open clamping members to said retracted position, and for opening said clamping means to release said yarn portion when said first operating means have closed said clamping members to clamp the yarn be tween said yarn laying drum and said clamping means.

2. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yarn laying means includes a rotary yarn laying drum having crossing helical guide grooves for guiding the yarn in axial direction of said windup shaft.

3. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said yarn laying means includes movable mounting means for said yarn laying drum, and means for moving said yarn laying drum away from the peripheral surface of the skein wound on said winding shaft as the diameter of the skein increases so that the distance between the peripheral sur-faces of said skein and yarn laying drum remains substan-tially constant.

4. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising positioning means movable between an inoperative position, and a yarn deflecting position engaging the yarn portion between said laying means and said skein for deflecting said yarn portion in the path of said cutting means and clamping means of said yarn transfer device moving from said retracted position to said operative position after said first operating means has opened said clamping members; and third operating means for operating said positioning means.

5. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said positioning means includes an arm mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said windup shaft, and a deflecting rod parallel to said axis, andpassing between said windup shaft and said yarn laying means during movement to and from said deflecting position.

6. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising stripper means mounted for axial movement on said windup shaft on the side of a wound skein remote from the end of said windup shaft; and operating means for moving said stripper means toward said end of said shaft so that said skein is pushed over said end of said windup shaft after said cutting means has out said yarn portion.

7. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprising holding means located at said end of said windup shaft and having an operative position aligned with said windup shaft, and a holding position transverse to said windup shaft; and operating means for said holding means for placing said holding means in said operative position when said stripper means push a wound skein over said end of said windup shaft so that said skein is transferred to said holding means and then turned with said holding means to said holding position.

8. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said holding means includes a holding rod coaxial with said windup shaft in said operative position.

9. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said holding means includes a basket having a bottom, a plurality of rods projecting from said bottom and arranged in a circle for receiving in said operative position a stripped off skein, and means for moving said rods radially toward each other for compressing a skein so that a holding ring surrounding said rods can be slipped onto said compressed skein during removal of said skein from said basket.

10. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said holding means comprise linkage means mounted on said bottom and connecting said rods so that said rods move together the same distance in radial direction.

11. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 said second operating means comprising supporting means supporting said transfer device for movement between said retracted and operative positions, and means for mounting said supporting means for radial movement toward or away from the axis of said windup shaft whereby a predetermined distance between the outer periphery of a completed skein and said transfer device is maintained.

12. Skein winding device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting means includes a fixed cutting member and an angularly movable cutting member; wherein said clamping means includes a bent up spring mounted on said fixed cutting member and cooperating with said movable cutting member to clamp said yarn portion before said movable cutting member engages said fixed cutting member and CLlltS said yarn portion. 

1. Automatic skein winding machine, comprising, in combination, a driven windup shaft; a pair of biassed yarn clamping members mounted on said windup shaft; driven yarn laying means for guiding a supplied yarn clamped between said clamping members to and along said windup shaft so that a skein is wound on said windup shaft; first operating means for closing said clamping members when winding of a new skein is started, and for opening said clamping members when a skein is finished; a yarn transfer device including cutting means and clamping means together movable between the opened clamping members between a retracted position, and an operative position in which said clamping means clamps the yarn portion between the end of said skein and said yarn laying means whereupon said cutting means cuts the yarn at said end of said skein; and second operating means for first moving said transfer device from said retracted position to said operative position, after said first operating means have opened said clamping members, for operating said clamping means and cutting means, for returning said transfer device with said clamped yarn portion between said open clamping members to said retracted position, and for opening said clamping means to release said yarn portion when said first operating means have closed said clamping members to clamp the yarn between said yarn laying drum and said clamping means.
 2. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yarn laying means includes a rotary yarn laying drum having crossing helical guide grooves for guiding the yarn in axial direction of said windup shaft.
 3. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said yarn laying means includes movable mounting means for said yarn laying drum, and means for moving said yarn laying drum away from the peripheral surface of the skein wound on said winding shaft as the diameter of the skein increases so that the distance between the peripheral sur-faces of said skein and yarn laying drum remains substan-tially constant.
 4. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising positioning means movable between an inoperative position, and a yarn deflecting position engaging the yarn portion between said laying means and said skein for deflecting said yarn portion in the path of said cutting means and clamping means of said yarn transfer device moving from said retracted position to said operative position after said first operating means has opened said clamping members; and third operating means for operating said positioning means.
 5. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said positioning means includes an arm mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said windup shaft, and a deflecting rod parallel to said axis, and passing between said windup shaft and said yarn laying means during movement to and from said deflecting position.
 6. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising stripper means mounted for axial movement on said windup shaft on the side of a wound skein remote from the end of said windup shaft; and operating means for moving said stripper means toward said end of said shaft so that said skein is pushed over said end of said windup shaft after said cutting means has cut said yarn portion.
 7. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprising holding means located at said end of said windup shaft and having an operative position aligned with said windup shaft, and a holding position tRansverse to said windup shaft; and operating means for said holding means for placing said holding means in said operative position when said stripper means push a wound skein over said end of said windup shaft so that said skein is transferred to said holding means and then turned with said holding means to said holding position.
 8. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said holding means includes a holding rod coaxial with said windup shaft in said operative position.
 9. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said holding means includes a basket having a bottom, a plurality of rods projecting from said bottom and arranged in a circle for receiving in said operative position a stripped off skein, and means for moving said rods radially toward each other for compressing a skein so that a holding ring surrounding said rods can be slipped onto said compressed skein during removal of said skein from said basket.
 10. Skein winding apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said holding means comprise linkage means mounted on said bottom and connecting said rods so that said rods move together the same distance in radial direction.
 11. Skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 said second operating means comprising supporting means supporting said transfer device for movement between said retracted and operative positions, and means for mounting said supporting means for radial movement toward or away from the axis of said windup shaft whereby a predetermined distance between the outer periphery of a completed skein and said transfer device is maintained.
 12. Skein winding device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting means includes a fixed cutting member and an angularly movable cutting member; wherein said clamping means includes a bent up spring mounted on said fixed cutting member and cooperating with said movable cutting member to clamp said yarn portion before said movable cutting member engages said fixed cutting member and cuts said yarn portion. 